DRIVEN FROM HOME.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21266, 21 February 1931, Page 3

DRIVEN FROM HOME.

TOO MANY SILVERFISH. CANNIBAL INSECTS. The habits of a curious insect known to scientists as “ Lepisma saccharina,” but more commonly called “ silverfish,” were discussed in the King’s Bench Division before Mr Justice Horridge and a special jury, says the Daily Telegraph. Mrs Rita Rhoades- sued Mr Henry Wallis Huntingford Richards, claiming £SB 16s as balance of rent due, she alleged, in respect to a furnished flat at Iverna Court, Kensington, which she let to him on a six months’ agreement. Mr Richards denied that he owed the money. He left the flat before the six months expired he said, because the presence of “ silverfish ” in certain apartments rendered it unfit for habitation. In the circumstances he contended that he was justified in repudiating the tenancy agreement, and he counter-claimed \against Mrs Rhoades, alleging that she was liable to compensate him for expenses to which he had been put. An exhibit in the case which the judge, counsel, and jury scrutinised with great interest, was a small bottle containing a number of “ silverfish ” —tiny glistening objects, like Lilliputian whitebait —preserved in alcohol. Mr Robert Stenton, a consulting entomologist, formerly in the service of the Ministry of Agriculture, said that he inspected the flat some weeks after it was vacated by Mr Richards, and at several spots found colonies of “ silverfish ” under the linoleum and beneath the wallpaper.

“ Silverfish,” added Mr Stenton, were insects of nocturnal habits, and their preference in the matter of nourishment was for any substance containing starch. They were consequently attracted by bread crumbs or sugar, but if no food of that sort was available they were content to eat wallpaper. They were cannibals in the sense that they sometimes ate each other, but they did not bite human beings. Questioned as to methods of extermination. Mr Stenton said that he thought pyrethrum powder would prove an effective insecticide, but linoleum and wallpaper would have to be removed to facilitate its application. Major Ernest Edward Austin, keeper of entomology at the British Museum of Natural History, South Kensington, gave evidence for the plaintiff. “ Silverfish,” he stated, were fairly common in dwelling houses, but unless they were present in very large numbers they were seldom noticed, owing to their furtive habits and extreme rapidity of movement. “I consider that they are particularly clean-feeding insects,” said Major Austin. “ They are not in the least in the category of vermin like bugs, fleas, and lice.” Major Austin said he did not know that there was a serious risk of eatables being contaminated by “silverfish.” It was not in lino with their general habits for them to run over food. Many kinds of insects might alight on food and cause it to become contaminated. Even a butterfly might do it.

Mr Justice Horridge: You would not like to have your house infested with butterflies, would you? “ I should not like to shave my house with any insect,” replied Major Austin, “but if I had my choice I would rather share it with “silverfish” than with many other kinds I could mention.”